“They outnumber us by ten thousand easily, if we count all the gulls, not just the ones that roost in the park,” stated Whirly sombrely.
“But gulls are stupid and poorly organized,” said Billow. “They are no match for our wits.”
“So we assume,” added Whirly.
“I want to hear what the queen has to say from her own beak,” said Ruffle.
Lustre circled high, trying to get a feel for the sway of the group. He saw a group of young males who had clearly enjoyed the attack on Cracks. He spiralled down to join them on a soccer field.
“You are all brave fighters,” he said as he landed. “Our crows will need your strength when the time comes.”
The young males puffed up at the compliment.
“What was it like fighting the gulls?” asked Span.
“They are big and strong, but they lack our wisdom,” responded Lustre. “If we work together, they are no match for us,” he continued haughtily.
“We are with you, sir,” said Curbside.
He fought hungrily in the fight, noted Lustre.
“We will fight, too,” said Twilight as she landed with a bunch of formidable females.
“Of course,” said Lustre with all his charm. “We must fly united.”
All the youth nodded in agreement and smiled at each other.
“Disperse and spread the word to the others,” Lustre commanded.
Boughbend flew on high alert all day. He had given the princess space to process her thoughts, but had kept a close watch on her. He wanted no crow taking this out on her.
Careen whispered to her while she sobbed a little on a fence.
Breezy returned with half a hot dog bun.
“How is the princess?” he asked.
“Not good,” she answered with a troubled look. “It’s a bit much for her to handle.”
Boughbend ventured closer to the princess. “Forgive me, my lady, but keep in mind that not one of us saw Lustre enter or come out of the Hollowing Tree. He could have hidden in the country and been attacked by ravens for all we know.”
Careen stiffened. The princess sniffed, straightening up a bit.
“I know this is all very troubling for you, but try to take heart. We won’t know the truth until the queen returns.”
“Thank you, Boughbend,” said the princess. She wiped her tears and accepted the bun from Breezy.
Careen sat back quietly.
Elsa decided to clean the entire house. There wasn’t much more she could do to be helpful to Claire. As she dusted and tidied, she tried not to relive the scene at the hospital. It was difficult.
She scrubbed the nooks and crannies behind the toilet. It was disgusting. She relived the moments at school in her mind.
Am I psychotic?
She wished they had the Internet at the house so she could figure out what that meant exactly.
She obsessed around the knob at the base of the toilet, trying to get all the bits of grime and hair. Each wipe removed some, but returned some others. It was difficult to get it perfect. She had seen her mother do this when she was on an upswing.
Elsa sat back, letting the few tiny flecks remain.
“Our queen would never betray us,” said Sparkle.
“Things have changed on her watch,” muttered Old Crow Beetle.
“She’s lost sense of our High Crow ways, always preaching peace with those pathetic birds,” agreed Bigworm, another elder.
Bigworm had felt slighted when she brought the queen a bottle cap, just before the big storm came last summer. The queen had hardly seemed to notice.
“We must wait and hear what she says before we form any opinions,” piped up Gust, the oldest of them all.
That night’s roost was a disjointed affair. The crows hovered awkwardly, not knowing if they were supposed to follow Lustre or the princess. The princess wasn’t sure either. She flew to the right of Careen, unsure of what to do next. Careen looked to Lustre. He hesitated as well.
Oh, for soaring’s sake, thought Careen, exasperated by their moment of weakness. She dove down, choosing the stand by the skate park.
Everybody followed.
There was much tuttering in the trees and it took a long time before the group went to sleep.
Elsa listened to the last of the caws settle as she put sweet potatoes on to boil. She checked on the tofu in the oven. It still needed a bit more time.
She had appreciated getting to know Claire’s new weird food. Elsa had enjoyed the time they had spent in the kitchen together and she enjoyed the challenge of figuring out how to work with new ingredients.
While she waited, she decided she would vacuum the living room. As she pulled out the vacuum she knocked a pile of bills off a side table. A small thin envelope slipped out from between them.
Elsa saw it was addressed to her. It was her mother’s handwriting, though it looked a bit shakier and more childish than usual. The postmark indicated she had sent it two days ago. Elsa went to open it, but then stopped. Why hadn’t Claire given her this? Did Claire know what it said inside? Had her mother written to say she didn’t want to take care of her anymore?
Had Claire just not seen it hidden between the bills?
The timer beeped on the stove.
Elsa stared at the unopened letter while she ate by herself.
Careen was awakened by the sound of the keychain hitting the branch beside her. She watched as it fell down and disappeared into the leaf litter below. She looked up and narrowed her eyes at Lustre’s silhouette hovering high above her in the darkness. She took lift to follow him, high out over the river.
“You raided my stash,” she whispered, a bit annoyed.
“You said the chain was mine,” said Lustre snidely.
Careen couldn’t argue with that. “Still, what a waste of good shiny.”
“Oh, there will be plenty of shiny when you and I rule the park,” Lustre cooed.
Careen tingled at the thought.
“How is the princess?” Lustre barked her out of her reverie.
“Well, I was doing great with her until Boughbend started filling her with thoughts that no one ever really saw you come or go from the Tree.”
Lustre hoped she couldn’t see his wince in the darkness.
“You did go, didn’t you?” she asked, seeking reassurance.
Lustre just shrugged out his wings to emphasize the gap in the feathers.
“Boughbend said you could have just gone to hide in the country and been attacked by ravens.”
That cursed oaf, he thought. “Careen, my darling, if you want to be queenmate you must help me, not doubt me,” he said as sweetly as he could.
That shut her up, thought Lustre with a flash of self-satisfaction.
“Now,” he added coolly, “it is crucial that we have the princess onside when the time comes.”
“And when is that?” she asked dutifully.
“Just follow my lead,” he said with a deep chill in his tone.
“I’ll do my best,” gulped Careen. It is her mother.
They silently returned to where the others slept.
Elsa took the envelope with her to bed. She turned on her lamp and opened it.
Dear Elsa,
I’ve had a lot of time to think in here.
I have good days and bad days.
At first I was mad they were keeping me, but now I’m glad. I need a rest. I want to get better.
Going for days without sleep would make anyone go out of their right mind, but still, it’s no excuse for what I have done to you.
I am ashamed of what I have put you through.
I am proud of you and your strength.
I hope you can find it in your heart to forgive me.
I know I have a lot to live for, the most i
mportant thing being winning back your trust.
I’ll be home for Christmas…
Love,
Your Mum.
All the tears that Elsa had been holding onto for all this time flowed steadily down her cheeks.
She cried herself to sleep, but they were not tears of sadness. They were tears of joy.
Claire rubbed her eyes in the dark store. She set aside what she was working on. She wasn’t making good progress anyway, with everything on her mind.
She pulled out the prescription paper, clicked on her computer, and searched the side effects of the first medication on the list.
Claire’s chin began to quiver as she read. The side effects were serious. Some of them she recognized in her own mother, whom she knew took this pill as well.
She didn’t know what to do.
Claire buried her head in her hands, feeling all the weight she had carried over all these years, trying to be the rock. At last, alone in her store, Claire allowed herself to crumble into sand.
“Arrrrgrgghh!” she screamed as she lurched out of the chair. She reached under the worktable and ripped out a garbage bag full of material, feathers, ribbons, and scraps. She shrieked and cried as she dumped the materials out all over the floor. She shook things and tossed them wildly, ripping the plastic bag in frustration.
It felt good to let herself go a little crazy. It was almost as if she left her body.
When she came back, she smoothed out the black material in front of her calmly.
She knew exactly what to do.
At first light, the crows heard the queen’s voice. She was calling from the throne.
“I have returned, come join me,” she called warmly.
The crows looked at each other cautiously, but rose to heed her call.
They encircled the trees by the pond, filled with collective anxiety. They hung back, not taking the foremost branches.
Cracks did a somersault in the clearing and bonked his head on a log. He stood up and took a bow. “Don’t worry, she doesn’t bite. Unlike some of you folks,” he said with a sly grin. “I forgive you, by the way.”
The golden light reflected off the queen’s soft black feathers. She gazed at them all lovingly.
“I know you have had a difficult time in my absence. And I know your hearts feel great trouble now. But I ask each one of you, for the sake of all, to take a deep look at your fear and then rise above it.”
The crows were silent, unsure of what to do or say.
“You are wondering why I left you.” She smiled and opened her wing to reveal Cirrus, sitting by her side. “I have brought you a prince.”
The crows breathed in at the sight of the pure white little boy. To all it was a shock; to some, a horror. Crows prided themselves on being entirely black.
“What?!” shrieked the princess.
Boughbend’s heart fell to see that the queen had mated. When Cornrow had been hit by the car saving the princess as a fledgling, Boughbend had always dreamed she would choose him if she ever decided to mate again. Judging by the way Cracks gazed at the prince, Boughbend knew immediately who the father was.
What scrumptious luck, thought Lustre.
“SHE HAS MATED WITH THE KING OF THE GULLS!” he bellowed with all the ire he could muster.
“Palefeather!” “For shame!” “Lower than Low!” The crows went wild with howls.
Boughbend soared down with a warning hiss. “Kkrrrrrrlllkkk!” He landed in front of the throne. “ENOUGH!” he shouted. “How can you welcome your queen like this? Many of you remember the ancient song of the all-white king with red eyes. It happens sometimes. This is a crow like any other.”
“But his eyes are black!” protested Curbside.
“This, too, can happen,” said the queen. “It is even more rare. More special. We have been blessed.”
“Don’t believe her lies! She has betrayed us all! She wants you to bow to the king of the gulls!” screamed Lustre, waving his wings wildly.
“Abomination!” “Palefeather!” “Betrayer!” The shrieks escalated in the trees. The energy became fiercer and more agitated.
“I AM THE FATHER!” Cracks yelled out, very seriously.
“Who can believe a fool?” asked Lustre to the group. “She is making a mockery of everything we hold dear! GET THAT LOWLY GULL!”
On his signal, thirty or so hotheaded young crows swooped out of the trees with beaks and claws ready for blood.
“No!” shouted many others.
Boughbend and Cracks reared up to defend. The queen picked up and hurried the prince towards the Hollowing Tree. He flew as fast as he could, but it wasn’t very fast.
Ruffle and several others swooped down, snatching and pecking, trying to stop the attackers from behind.
Still more of Lustre’s supporters joined the fray. A mess of black scratched its way through the trees.
The queen flew evasive manoeuvres through the woods and the prince deftly mirrored her movements, staying close by her side as she flew.
Cracks’s son, thought Boughbend proudly as he swiped away three oncomers with one swift claw. He hung back to defend, while Cracks flitted to gain on the queen.
Lustre rose up over the wood and soared down to the path.
The queen and her son flapped as hard as they could to cross the clearing to the Tree. Lustre gave two strong pulls and gained on them rapidly. He extended his claws within a feather’s length of the prince.
Cracks zipped up into the space between them and made a silly face, saying, “Yooo-hooo!”
Lustre couldn’t resist the urge to grab him and pin him down to the ground. With one swift peck he took out his eye.
The queen and the prince disappeared into the Hollowing Tree.
As Lustre thrust back his head to swallow the eyeball triumphantly, Cracks used the momentum to throw Lustre back on his back. Boughbend swooped in and stood over Lustre with his talons clutched around his neck.
Cracks winked at Boughbend with his good eye to say thanks and vanished inside the hollow.
The rest of the group now hovered all around.
“I am ashamed how Low we’ve come,” said Boughbend to the group, clenching around Lustre’s neck a little tighter.
“Do it!” said Lustre from the ground. “Go ahead! Kill one of your own out of spite, mister High and mighty.”
He has me by the feathers, thought Boughbend. The queen would tell me to let him go. He loosened the grip.
“I choose not to,” said Boughbend, and he let Lustre go. “We must choose to have a broader vision,” he said, remembering the girl.
“Choice! Yes,” said Lustre, settling his feathers, “we all have one.” He scrutinized the whole group. “If you want a king who is a crow, then meet at the playground instead of taking roost tonight.”
And with that Lustre flew off, soaring as high as he could. He circled once above them all to show off the height of his flight, then veered off for the outskirts. It may have seemed dramatic, but really he just wanted to make a quick escape before anyone asked him to follow after the queen through the hollow.
Elsa was dreading the first day back at school, but everyone seemed to keep a respectful distance. Even Ms. Witherspoon had lightened up.
At recess, Eh Ta Taw kicked a soccer ball her way. “I’m glad you’re back.”
Elsa smiled and kicked it back to him. They played all through recess and that seemed to keep the mean girls away.
At lunch Eh Ta Taw suggested another game: trying to keep the ball aloft using anything but your hands. That was so much fun, a bunch of other kids joined in.
The day passed quickly.
It wasn’t until the bell rang that Elsa felt worried. Now she wondered if Breagh, Gabby, and Lenore would try to follow her and bother her on the way home.
When she came out of the school, Claire was waiting in the car with a big smile on her face.
“The sun is shining. Let’s go for a drive,” she said as Elsa climbed in.
“But what about the shop?” asked Elsa.
Claire shrugged. “What can I say? I’m an artist.”
They sped off for the shore, blasting tunes and singing.
When they returned from the beach, the sun was sinking. Claire took the route home through the park and stopped at the big field.
“Let’s watch the sunset,” said Claire.
There was an uneasy feeling as the crows hovered to take the roost. Careen waited for the princess to fly to her right, but the princess just kept circling, waiting for more and more crows who straggled in.
“Come on!” said Careen, losing her patience, “just take the whole group down to the playground.”
The princess just ambled around in a circle, stalling.
“She’ll favour the prince, you know. She’ll probably crown him to solidify the alliance since he’s a half-breed. You’ll lose your place. You should just roost us all together to send a message.”
“No,” said the princess. “Everyone gets to make their own choice.”
She chose the stand of trees along the white fence and dove down to signal to the rest of the group. Careen followed with a snarl on her face.
Once the princess had touched down to select the roost, she pushed off again. “Okay, now!” she said veering off in the direction of the playground.
Careen pushed off, surprised. Breezy didn’t budge.
“I’m staying,” she said.
Lustre sat atop the pinnacle of the tallest slide, feeling sorry for himself.
Only about two hundred crows had gathered to support him. As to be expected, the young hotheads had showed up, but the rest were mostly elders. Half of them will be dead by the spring, he thought gloomily.
There were a few decent soldiers. Wrapper and Billow, of course. Popcan was a surprise. Still, he could feel everyone’s collective discomfort at the low turnout. I could lose them all yet.
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